A Clash of Two Worlds
by Lauradane
Summary: Lauradane returns home from work to discover her family is missing, and at the hands of the Foot no less. She embarks on the mission of her life, employing the help of the world famous Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! I do not own any TMNT characters, only my OC. Rated T because there will be battle scenes which will need to be described. This is my first story. Please review. :)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: A Terrible Surprise **

It was a night like any other. I had just finished work and was heading home around 11 pm. It had been a long night and I was tired. The drive was uneventful, as it usually is, and I soon found myself pulling into the driveway. After setting the gear into park and shutting off the ignition, I get out of the car and shut the door. I walk along the street to the path that leads to my front door. When I reach the front door, I let myself inside.

Upon entering my house, I notice that something is really wrong. It is very quiet. Usually, I can hear the sounds of snoring coming from both my younger son and my husband and the restlessness of my older son as he attempts to sleep.

Tonight, however, there is nothing. I decide to investigate. I look through my husband's and my room for clues, but there is nothing except for our dog who is sleeping. I'm suddenly very angry with the dog. "How could she just let this happen?" I think out loud to myself. I continue my search for clues and enter my sons' shared room. I check on top of their dresser and inside the drawers. There isn't anything of importance. I walk across the room to their bunk beds and notice something in the top bunk. There is a swatch of fabric laying there with an image of a dragon's foot on it. I immediately recognize it as the symbol of the Foot. I also know what I need to do, but find it incredulous because this is my real life and they're not really real.

Nonetheless, I set out anyway. However, when I leave my house I am suddenly in New York City. As weird as it seems, I know that I have to find them. They are the only ones who can really help me because they have a long-running history against the Foot. I make my way through the city seemingly with ease. As a fan, I know to occasionally glance at the rooftops since they are usually up there. It takes a while, but I finally see them - the Turtles. Now I just have to figure out how to get up there. (Apparently, since this is a dream I now have impressive ninja skills, too, so I have no problem getting onto the rooftops.) I can see them a few buildings over, and it appears that they are on patrol. I try to get in a little closer, but lose sight of them. I am disappointed, but I am determined to find them. _I have to find them_, I think to myself. _My family's fate depends on it._

I try again to locate them, when all of a sudden I am flipped over onto my back. "Ugh," I manage to say. I wince from the pain, but notice something worse when I open my eyes. I am staring at the point of a katana blade. Startled, I let out a gasp and then try to shield my face with my hands. The wielder withdraws the blade. He must feel that I am no longer a threat. At least, I hope he does. I remove my hands from in front of my face. A hand is extended in a gesture to help me up. I tentatively take the hand and stand up. I notice it is a large, green hand with three fingers and I now know who the owner of the katana blade is. It's Leonardo! His brothers, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo, are standing right behind him. I can't believe this! I am filled with emotion: relief, happiness, hopefulness, anger (as I remember why I was here in the first place), and a twinge of anxiety. I am also confused because there was no way this was really happening. I stare at them in disbelief as they look back for what feels like an eternity. Finally, I say, "It's you guys! But how? There's no way..."

Raphael takes a menacing step toward me. "How do you know about us?" he demands. Leonardo put a stiff arm across Raphael's chest and giving him a stern look said, "Stand down, Raph." Raphael glared at his brother and took a step backward.

Leonardo turns back to look at me. "Who are you and why are you here?" he asked. I am still reeling from how surreal all of this is, but I know that I need to choose my words carefully. I need their help and if I blow this opportunity... "I may never see my family again," I think to myself not realizing that I said it out loud.

"What did you say?" Leonardo asked me. Finally aware of what just happened I say, "My family was kidnapped and I need to get them back. My name is Lauradane."

Raphael chimed in. "What does this have to do with us? It sounds like something the police can handle." I shake my head, saying, "No, it has to be you. You are the only ones who can help. I found this in my son's bed."

I pull out the swatch of fabric from my pocket and show it to them. Leonardo's eyes narrowed. "The Foot," he said through gritted teeth as he immediately recognized the symbol. "Whatever the Foot are up to involving your family can't be good. Don't worry. We will help you get your family back."

_To Be Continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Hard Decisions**

Donatello looked at Leonardo. "So Leo, what are we going to do?"

"We need to talk to Master Splinter," Leonardo replied, "but it's not safe to leave her here." He looked at me and then turned back to his brothers. "She will have to come with us back to the lair."

This got Raphael's attention. "Leo, are you _nuts_?" he said. "We can't bring a _human_ back to the lair. Master Splinter will-"

Leonardo cut him off midsentence. "I will deal with Master Splinter," he said. "Besides, what choice do we have? She needs our help, and-"

This time, Michelangelo interrupted. "I don't know, Leo. He's going to be pretty angry," he added.

Leonardo seemed frustrated with the incessant questioning from his brothers. He sighed and said, "Like I said, _I_ will deal with Master Splinter. Now, let's get going."

As we started back toward the Turtles' lair, I looked from one face to another. Donatello and Michelangelo looked anxious and almost fearful. Raphael seemed angry about the "decision." Leonardo appeared to be calm and focused, but his eyes betrayed him. The look in his eyes seemed to say that he was also worried about his master's reaction, to me, an outsider.

We continued to walk. We turned left, and then right. We walked down a long corridor. I was beginning to wonder, based on the deafening silence, if this was such a good idea after all. My mind began to race. _Maybe Raphael was right_, I thought to myself, _Maybe I should have gone to the police..._ Then I thought about the swatch of fabric with the Foot's symbol on it. _What could they have done? Ask me to file a missing person's report and hope for the best? That's assuming they actually believed my story. No, it was supposed to be this way. They are my only hope of seeing my family, preferably alive, again. Still, it feels like I am causing them so much trouble..._

After a few more twists and turns, we were there. Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice when they stopped walking. I accidentally bumped into Leonardo. He turned to look at me. "Sorry," I said sheepishly. "It's alright," he replied. We all turned back to look at the lair's entrance. _There's no turning back now_, I thought, and looking at them I had the feeling that they were thinking the same thing.

_To Be Continued..._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Master Splinter **

Leonardo took a deep breath. I could tell that he was trying his best to maintain his composure. "Okay guys," he said, "Let's go."

We entered the lair, and I suddenly felt very nervous. Perhaps the recent air of tension was taking its toll or maybe it was the realization that I was a stranger here and may not be welcome.

"Sensei!" Leonardo shouted out, causing me to jump. He placed his hand on my shoulder and looked at me as if to say, "Everything will be alright."

From out of nowhere, Splinter appeared. Seeing his sons caused him to smile. Then he noticed me, and the smile faded. He immediately took a defensive stance.

"What is going on here?" Splinter asked, his eyes locked on me.

"Leo made us bring a human back to the lair!" Raphael blurted out. Leonardo glared at his brother and then turned to face his master.

"Master Splinter," he said, bowing. "She came to us to ask for our help. Her family has been kidnapped and she wants our help to rescue them." Splinter seemed unconvinced. "Is this not a police matter?" He looked at me and asked, "Why do you not contact the police?"

This was not going well. Who could really blame him? There was a stranger in his home whom he could not determine whether or not was a friend or a foe. I looked at Leonardo with pleading eyes and mouthed, "May I try?" He was hesitant, but nodded in approval.

"Excuse me, Master Splinter?" I said, bowing. I figured it couldn't hurt. "If I may, please allow me to explain how I happened to come in contact with your sons and why I need their help. I assure you that I am not an enemy."

Splinter dropped his defensive stance, but still had his eyes locked on me. He seemed to be peering into my soul, which I have to admit was making me uncomfortable. After a minute or so, he took his eyes off of me. I suppose he was satisfied with whatever he was searching for because he nodded and gestured for me to begin.

"I work the evening shift at my job. I got off work at 11 pm and drove home. When I got home, the lights were all turned off inside. This is normal for my family and I because they are all usually asleep before I get there. Once I walked inside our home, however, that's when I noticed that something was wrong. It was too quiet. Both my husband and younger son snore while sleeping and my older son is a restless sleeper so he moves around at night. I can usually hear all of these sounds from them and take comfort in the thought that they are all safe. However, when I got home and heard nothing but silence, I got worried. I searched through our home for any trace of them or any sign of where they might be." I noticed the concerned looks on both Splinter's and Leonardo's faces. I think that I was getting somewhere. I continued, "I kept looking for something, anything that may offer a clue. That's when I found this."

I showed Splinter the swatch with the symbol of the Foot on it and he suddenly had a sad look in his eyes followed by an angry look. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, the angry look was gone. Then, he spoke, "This is a grave matter. Anything the Shredder does is for his own personal gain, and he does not care who he has to hurt to get what he wants."

Splinter looked directly at me and, laying his hand on my shoulder, said, "Please forgive my rash actions, Miss..."

"Lauradane," I offered.

"Yes, Lauradane," Splinter repeated. Then, he continued speaking, "You are welcome to stay with us until we can reunite you with your family. In fact, it may be safer for you to do so. Shredder is relentless and may be looking for you as well."

"Thank you, Master Splinter," I said, "You are most gracious."

Splinter nodded. Then he turned to Leonardo saying, "Leonardo, show Miss Lauradane where she may rest. She has surely had a long journey."

"Yes, Master Splinter," Leonardo replied, bowing again. Looking at me he said, "There is a spare room in the top right corner of the lair next to my room that no one uses. You can rest there. Now, follow me."

Leonardo led me up to the extra room. There was no door so we walked right in. I looked around the room and noted that this was not what I expected, but in a good way. It was a nice room considering we were in the sewers. There was a bed on the left side complete with sheets, a pillow, and a heavy blanket. On the other side of the room was a small dresser just large enough to fit some clothes inside.

"Well, here it is," Leonardo said. "If you need anything, just let us know." With that, he turned to leave.

"Leonardo?" I started.

"Yes?" was his reply.

"Thanks. Thanks for everything," I said.

He looked at me with caring eyes and had a half-smile on his face. "You're welcome, and good night," he said softly. "Oh, and you can just call me Leo."

"Okay, Leo," I said, smiling. "Good night."

"Good night," he said again, "Try to get some rest."

"I will try," I replied, and with that, he was gone. I walked across the room and pulled the covers down on the bed. I crawled into bed, pulling the covers back up. I will try, but sleep will not come easy, I thought to myself. Then, I closed my eyes and attempted to sleep.

_To Be Continued..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: A Real Nightmare**

_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Please, he's just a boy! Don't hurt him!_

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I screamed as I jolted awake and sat up with a start. I desperately tried to catch my breath. I sat there in the darkness for a moment and then heard the sound of several running footsteps. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the room and I had to shield my eyes. My eyes took a minute to adjust and then I was able to make out the figures in the room. What started out as blurry, green shapes became clearer as my eyes were able to focus. All of the Turtles had come running at the sound of my screaming.

Then came the questions. "What happened?" Raphael asked first. "What is it?" Michelangelo followed. "Are you hurt?" Donatello asked. "Are you okay?" Leonardo asked, his voice barely audible. They were fraught with worry.

It took me some time to respond. I was completely overwhelmed. Looking at their panic-stricken faces only upset me more. I tried to brush it off. I stammered, "I-I'm fine. I-It was just a bad dream." I've said the same thing to my sons whenever they have had a nightmare. I understand now why they never want to go back to bed.

Thinking about my sons made me feel sad…and scared. _What if I never see my family again?_ I thought to myself. _What if we're too late…?_

My thoughts were interrupted by the second round of questions. "Are you sure you're okay?" Leonardo asked, a little louder this time. "…And you're not hurt? Maybe I should check you to be certain," Donatello added.

"I'm fine," I repeated, sounding robotic this time. It seemed to be enough for Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello (although he still looked worried) as one by one they said good night to me and started to leave. However, Leonardo seemed suspicious. When I looked at him, he had this strange look on his face like he wanted to believe me but wasn't sure he should.

"Leo," I said, "It'll be alright. We should try and get some rest."

Leonardo sighed softly. "Alright," he said, "but I'm right out here if you need anything."

"Okay, Leo," I replied. "Good night."

"Good night," he answered. With that, he left the room and I went back to sleep.

When I awoke the next morning, I was still a bit upset about the nightmare, but again I tried brushing it off. "I need to be strong for them," I said to myself, thinking of my family. I got out of bed, fixed the covers, and exited the room. As I did, I noticed Leonardo was standing next to the entryway, but he was dozing. _Has he been there all night?_ I wondered.

* * *

It had been several days since I first met the Turtles and Master Splinter. However, I felt like I've known them for a long time. When you live in close quarters, it's amazing what you learn about each other. They were starting to feel like a second family. _Family… _I thought. I was suddenly feeling restless. My family was out there somewhere and we had yet to make a move.

"Good morning, Lauradane," I heard Leo say. Apparently, he had woken up. I didn't feel like it was exactly a "good" morning so I mumbled back, "Morning, Leo."

"Are you hungry?" he asked me. Leo nodded in the direction of the kitchen. "Mikey's making breakfast."

"I'm not really hungry," I told him. Leonardo studied me for a minute. He could tell that something was off about me today. "How about some sparring, then?" he suggested. "It's a good way to release some pent up energy," he added, his eyes insistent. I shrugged. "Sure, why not?" I replied. It seemed good enough for him so we headed off to the dojo room for some sparring.

We both faced each other, bowed, and got into position. We started off slowly with some basic moves: punch, block, kick, block, sweep, block, repeat. As we continued, the moves became more advanced and we were matching each other blow for blow. We carried on like this for hours. Before we knew it, it was getting dark as less and less sunlight filtered through the grating. We had spent the entire day sparring. I guess I had more "pent up energy," as Leo put it, than I thought, but now I was actually hungry. As if reading my thoughts, Leo asked," Are you hungry?" "Yes," I said. "Very." "Let's go eat, then," he offered. "We have some pizza." "Great," I answered him, "I love pizza!" He smiled at me and then we left the dojo room to go join the others.

* * *

Time passed quickly after we had eaten our pizza and watched a movie (Mikey's suggestion). Before we knew it, it was time for bed. We all said good night to each other, but Leo insisted on keeping watch in my room. I started to protest, but after seeing the determined look on his face I realized that there was no talking him out of it. So I crawled into bed, told Leo good night, and tried to sleep, again. Leonardo did his best to keep watch, but after a while, he was getting sleepy. He closed his eyes for a moment and started dozing off…

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I screamed. I sat up quickly and hugged my knees, shaking violently. I was trying again to catch my breath. "What's wrong?" Leo asked worriedly, rushing to my side. "It's the nightmare again. I've been having this terrible nightmare for a few nights now," I said, hugging my knees tighter. "Again? But, you had said that it was just a bad dream," Leo questioned. "I know," I said. "I didn't want to upset you guys so I tried downplaying it. I suppose I should tell you?" Leo nodded.

"Okay, here it is," I began. "I am in a strange open room with high ceilings and there are symbols adorning the walls, much like the symbol on that piece of fabric. I notice that I am walking down a long aisle. When I reach the end of the aisle I can see my family. From what I can tell they are unharmed, but they are restrained. I begin to run to them saying, 'Hold on! I'll have you free in just a moment.'"

"Then a man with sharp claws on his hands and a metal mask on his face appears and quickly snatches them from me. He looks at me with cold eyes and, laughing, tells me that I have fallen for his trap. He claims that I have information about you, your brothers, and Splinter. He demands to know your whereabouts and then grabs one of my sons—my youngest."

"'NOOOOOOOOO! Please, he's just a boy! Don't hurt him!' I beg him."

"'Tell me where they are!' he roars and raises one of his sharp claws, preparing to strike my son."

"'NOOOOOOOOO!' I scream… and that's when I wake up."

The very thought of this nightmare and harm coming to either one of my sons, or my husband for that matter, is more than I can bear. Tears spring to my eyes, threatening to overflow. "Leo, this is horrible! My family means the world to me. I love them so much!" I said as tears began to escape from my eyes and roll down my cheeks.

Almost instinctively, Leo put his arms around me and pulled me close to him the way a mother would with her child. "If anything were to happen to them…" I said, my voice shaking and trailing off. With that, I could no longer be strong for my family and I completely broke down. I began sobbing uncontrollably, burying my face in his chest. With newfound determination, Leo said, "We will get your family back. Alive. All we need is a plan."

_To Be Continued..._

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**So, I've finally figured out how to do this line break. What do you think of Chapter Four? The story is picking up some. Please be patient with me as I build to the climax. Please review. I appreciate feedback. Thanks in advance! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Recon**

The next morning, I woke up before anyone else. I took a moment to reflect on last night's events. I was grateful to Leo for his capacity of caring for others, but I was also a little embarrassed. I couldn't believe that I had broken down like that. _We can't all be strong all the time_, I thought to myself.

As I surveyed the room, I caught sight of Leonardo. He had slept on the floor, but he must have been up at some point because he was sleeping on a mat. He looked so peaceful. _ Kind of like my boys when they're sleeping_, I thought, letting out a sad sigh. _Still, he must be freezing_.

I removed the blanket from the bed and placed it on top of him. However, he began to stir the moment it touched him. Leo stretched, yawned, and opened his eyes. He saw me sitting on the bed. "Oh, hey. Good morning, Lauradane," he said sleepily. "Have you been up long?" I shook my head. "Not real long," I replied. "I've just had a moment to reflect on recent events."

As if suddenly remembering something, Leo quickly stood up and then sat next to me on the bed. "Like your nightmare?" Leo asked. "So, how are you feeling?" he asked hesitantly, looking concerned. "Well, I've been better, but I suppose I will have to deal with it for now," I said in reply. Leo got that determined look again. He said, "I told you that we would get your family back, and that's exactly what we're gonna do."

After we left the room, Leo was all business. We woke the others and Mikey made breakfast, which I actually ate this time. After breakfast, Leo addressed his brothers. "We need to go topside," he declared. "We need to know what Shredder's up to."

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Wait, you want us to go topside? In the daytime?!" Donatello asked, practically shouting.

"Yeah, Leo," Raphael added. "What if someone sees us?"

Leo sighed, clearly annoyed. He did not appreciate when his brothers questioned his command. "Look," he started. "We made a promise to help Lauradane get her family back." He nodded at me and then continued, "And I intend on keeping that promise. Shredder has something planned involving her family and we need to know what it is. So, let's go!"

With that, we sprang into action. The Turtles each grabbed their weapons, gearing up. I helped Donatello pack his "bag of tricks" as Mikey referred to it. When we were finished, we headed out of the lair. We strode through the sewer tunnels in search of a manhole. The search did not take long. Within a few minutes, we were facing a long ladder. We began climbing. Leo went first, and then me. We were followed by Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael.

When we reached the top, Leo paused causing the rest of us to pause as well. Michelangelo was getting impatient. "C'mon, Leo-" he started. "Shh!" Leo countered. He was listening to the sounds above. When he was convinced that there weren't any more sounds near them, he lifted the manhole cover and peeked out. He cautiously looked around and then pushed aside the manhole cover. He climbed out and then extended his hand to me. I grabbed his hand and he helped me climb out. Then, we snuck over to the nearest building concealing ourselves in its shadow. Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael each climbed out in turn and followed suit.

Spotting a nearby fire escape, Leo signaled for us to scale it. We climbed up to the rooftops and began to make our way to Foot headquarters. We raced across the rooftops leaping from building to building. It felt good to be out in the open air. I almost felt carefree, like I didn't have anything to worry about. Then as we approached Foot headquarters, reality came crashing back at me like a ton of bricks. I fought back the urge to cry telling myself that I needed to stay focused.

We found an unguarded area on the roof of Foot headquarters. Then, we snuck over to the nearest window. We peeked inside and we were able to see him, the metal-masked man. It was Shredder! He was talking to a group of Foot soldiers. It was hard to hear, but I was able to make out one thing: "The girl is the key. She will undoubtedly come looking for them and when she does, I'll be waiting," the Shredder said, snarling.

I couldn't believe my ears! "He wants me?" I squeaked. "But why?" Startled, I took a few steps backward and nearly fell off the roof. Leo and Raph both quickly grabbed each one of my arms and pulled me back to safety.

"Thanks," I said gratefully.

"We need to get out of here," Leo said pensively. "Let's head back to the lair and figure out our plan. Then we will return. Tonight."

_To Be Continued..._

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**Thank you to those currently reading my story. I really appreciate your support. Please continue to review. I would love to hear what you think.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: It's Tough To Be The Leader **

"No way!" Donatello exclaimed.

"Uh-uh!" Michelangelo cried.

"Are you _nuts_?" Raphael protested.

Back in the Turtles' lair, these were the responses to Leonardo's plan. Even I wasn't sure about this. I wanted my family back, probably more than anyone else in this room, but was this really what it came down to? Wasn't there something else we could try? I was feeling really uneasy about this. So many things could go wrong. Were we really going to do this? _He has been very helpful so far, _I thought. _And he has been adamant about fulfilling his obligation. Still, what if something went wrong? What if I get captured? What if I get injured, or worse, my family does?_ My mind was running in circles. _What if... _

My thoughts were interrupted by Leonardo and Raphael arguing. "So we're supposed to just let her waltz in there by herself? Great plan, oh Fearless Leader," Raphael challenged.

"She wouldn't be by herself. We-," Leo began, but was cut off.

"It will never work!" Raphael shouted.

"It will work! We will be right there when she needs us!" Leo shouted back, and then added, "You don't understand what it takes to be a leader!"

"Well, I know that if I were leader I wouldn't have come up with such a stupid plan!" Raphael shouted even louder.

_This is not the time for this, _I thought. I attempted to intervene. "Guys, we-" Both Leo and Raph turned to look at me with fire in their eyes. Donatello grabbed my shoulders and pulling me back, whispered to me, "It would be better for you to not get in the middle of them."

I felt helpless. I looked back at Leo and Raph who were glaring at each other. Raph finally mumbled, "Whatever," and stormed off. Leo could only watch his brother as he stalked away. Leo was frustrated and angry. He growled, "Ugh! Why does he always make things so difficult?" before taking off in the other direction leaving Donatello, Michelangelo, and I alone in the room.

"So, now what?" I asked.

"We wait," Donatello and Michelangelo replied in unison.

_To Be Continued..._

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**This one is a bit shorter, I know. Thanks for reading and please review.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: Proceed as Planned**

After a few hours of waiting, Raph and Leo returned to the lair. They appeared as if they had made up because they both looked a lot calmer than when they had left. Still, I needed to be sure. "Are you guys okay?" I asked, approaching them. Leo and Raph exchanged glances. Raph went first. "Yeah, we're fine," he said. Leo followed with, "Sorry about earlier. Things can get tense around here especially when family is at stake, no matter whose it is." Leo and Raph looked at me apologetically.

"It's okay, guys," I said. "I understand. Things can get tense at home as well, and sometimes my family and I argue, too." Thinking of my family made me sad. How I longed to be with them again. I wanted to hold them in my arms and never let them go. Tears began to form in my eyes and I quickly turned away from Leo and Raph, but not before the tears started rolling down my cheeks.

I desperately wanted the tears to stop. I felt like that's all I'd been doing lately. I swiped at them furiously. _Crying isn't going to help,_ I thought, but the more I swiped at the tears, the more they kept coming. I finally fell to my knees, exhausted from crying. Leo and Raph surrounded me and hugged me, trying to comfort me. Leo whispered to me, "It's going to be okay. We'll get them back, no matter what. I promise."

Hearing his words, I felt a little better. I knew that Leo would not lie to me especially about something of this much importance. There was sincerity in his voice any time he spoke to me. This time was no different. I knew that I could trust him. Drying my eyes, I turned my face to look at him. He looked at me, too, with the softest, most caring look I've ever seen from anyone. This was sincerity in a nutshell. "Thank you," I said, a small smile forming at the corner of my mouth. "I know we will."

Leo knew what he needed to do next. With Raph and I at his side, he called for Donatello and Michelangelo who came running into the living room. After everyone was assembled, Leo began to speak. He said, "Earlier today, we checked out Foot headquarters to see what Shredder was up to. He wants Lauradane, bad. So, we let him get her, or at least let him think he gets her. We will keep a close eye on her and move in at just the right moment. Everyone clear on the plan?" Leo shifted his eyes from one brother to the next. Donatello nodded. Michelangelo smiled and gave a thumbs up. Raphael didn't look happy and just stood there with his arms crossed. _Here we go again,_ I thought to myself, but to my surprise, he didn't lash out at Leo again. Instead, he grumbled, "Yeah, yeah." I guess even Raph won't challenge Leo twice in the same day. "Okay, then," Leo continued. "Let's go!"

Everyone started gearing up again. Leo grabbed his swords, sheathing them. Raphael and Michelangelo holstered their sais and nunchakus, respectively. Donatello had already sheathed his bo staff and went to work packing his bag of goodies. He packed it as full as he could with everything from shurikens and rope to various high-tech gadgets that he claimed would come in handy. "Hmm," Donatello suddenly said, frowning. "I'll be back before you know it." He zipped off to his lab without waiting for a reply.

We all watched Donatello as he took off. Leo, Raph, and Mikey all seemed unphased. On the other hand, I was confused as to why he would suddenly disappear like that. Noticing my puzzled expression, Leo merely shrugged and said, "He does that a lot."

Donnie returned about an hour later, triumphantly holding up a set of tegaki. Now it was the guys' turn to be confused.

"Uh, Donnie?" Leo asked.

"Yeah?" Donnie answered.

"What's with the tegaki?" Raph finished for Leo.

"Well," Donnie began, "I was packing up my bag and saw four sets of tegaki."

"So?" Raph asked.

"Normally, that wouldn't be a problem for four mutant turtles," Donnie explained.

"So?" Raph asked again, more impatiently this time.

Donnie looked annoyed. "So," he said, drawing the word out for Raph, "Technically, there are five of us now." Donnie looked over at me before continuing, "Since we need five sets and there were only four sets, I needed to make another set. So now, we have everything we need." Donnie had a huge grin on his face, seemingly satisfied with himself. Raph did not look amused. "Way to go, brainiac," he responded bitterly.

Leo took this moment to interject, "Good work, Donnie. Now that we're all ready, let's get going." Without another word we all headed out of the lair, through the tunnels, up the same ladder as earlier, out of the manhole, and up to the rooftops.

Once we reached the rooftops, Leo said, "Stay alert. Be ready for anything." We snuck across the rooftops tracing the same path we had taken before. Suddenly, Leo stopped in his tracks. With one hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw, and the other palm out in front of us signaling for us to stop and hold, Leo listened and waited.

From out of nowhere, a shuriken whizzed past our heads. We all turned to face the direction from which it came. Leo drew his swords and took a ready stance. Raph, Donnie, and Mikey all drew their weapons and readied themselves as well.

Earlier in the week, Leo had decided that we needed to prepare ourselves as much as possible. Seeing that I did not have a weapon, he had taken it upon himself to provide me with one and had even shown me how to use it during our sparring session. He had an arsenal of swords and bestowed one upon me. I had put in some practice, but I wasn't sure how effective I would be with weapons in combat. Nevertheless, I also readied myself.

A few ninjas revealed themselves from the shadows to face us. I had a feeling there were going to be more. I was right. Within seconds, we were surrounded by Foot ninjas, all of whom had their weapons drawn and were ready to attack. They charged at us and now we needed to defend ourselves.

Leo dodged the first Foot ninja's attack and kicked the ninja away from him. When the ninja regained his footing, he charged at Leo again with his sword held high. He struck at Leo, and both Leo and the ninja locked swords. Leo pushed him off and they began to sword fight.

Raph had his hands full with two Foot ninjas. They had both charged at him, ready to strike. With a sai in each hand, he had blocked their attacks. He pushed them off of him. He punched one in the face and knocked the other one down with a sweep.

Michelangelo had a small group of Foot ninjas around him. Using his nunchucks, he performed a flawless spinning move that knocked them all out.

Donatello twirled his bo staff on either side of him as he was surrounded by a circle of Foot ninjas. He began to knock them out, one by one. However, one Foot ninja leaped up and struck at Donatello with his sword. As his sword was about to connect with Donatello, it was met with two sais. Raph had blocked his attack. He knocked the ninja out and both Raph and Donatello continued to battle.

I, however, was not doing so well. One day of weapons training was nothing compared to the years of training by both the Turtles and the Foot. Only one Foot ninja had attacked me, but that was plenty to keep me busy. Holding his sword over his head, the ninja struck at me. I managed to block his attack with my own sword, but the ninja easily disarmed me and kicked the sword away. He then grabbed both of my wrists and I struggled to free myself.

Leo, having made short work of several ninjas, saw this and started making his way over to me. Meanwhile, I had struggled enough to cause this Foot ninja to loosen his grip. I slammed my shoulder into him as hard as I could, knocking him off balance. He let go of me, and I took this opportunity to grab _his_ wrists. Using his body weight and a sudden surge of adrenaline, I flipped him over my shoulder. He landed on his back with a thud and let out a loud moan.

Leo, retrieving my lost sword, finally made it over to me. He handed it to me and I resheathed it. "Thanks, Leo," I said. Looking me over, he asked, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I replied. "I'm fine."

"Nice work, slick," Raph said with a smile as he joined us. Mikey and Donnie also made their way over to us. With all of us reunited, Leo said, "Let's keep going," and we continued on our way to Foot headquarters.

_To Be Continued..._

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**I really got into this chapter, but also felt like I needed to move the story along as much as possible. Thanks to all who are reading this. Please review and let me know what you think. I appreciate the feedback. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter**** Eight: Now or Never**

Foot headquarters loomed in the distance. With each step, it grew larger. We finally stopped at the edge of a rooftop overlooking it and surveyed the scene below. A pair of Foot ninja were patrolling the perimeter. We looked to the top of the building and saw more guards there.

"We need a way in," Leo said, his eyes searching. "There. That's our entrance point." He pointed to a shadowy area on the rooftop. "Let's move," he said.

"Wait," Donnie said. "We can use these." He pulled out four grappling guns from his bag.

"There are only four," I said, stating the obvious.

"You can go with me, Lauradane," Leo stated. They all shot their grappling guns across the rooftop to the area that Leo had indicated. Then Leo scooped me up as he, Donnie, Mikey, and Raph zipped down the lines.

After reaching the other side, we quickly concealed ourselves. Remembering the patrolling Foot ninja, we waited until they circled back. Sneaking up behind them, Leo and Raph each grabbed one, placing their hands over the ninjas' mouths, and quickly knocked them out before dragging them into our formerly occupied shadowy spot.

"Stay alert, guys. No doubt, there will be more of them," Leo whispered to us. "Let's go!" he continued, motioning for us to go forward. We found ourselves looking at a tall section of Foot headquarters that had a small row of windows at the top. One of the windows had a broken corner.

"I take it Shredder's up there," I said in a hushed voice. Everyone nodded. I inhaled sharply and then quickly released my breath. "It's now or never," I said.

Leo turned to me with a serious look on his face. Gone were the soft eyes I'd grown accustomed to. In their place were hard, glaring, determined eyes and...something else. Worry, perhaps? But that last one disappeared almost as soon as it appeared. This was no time to be soft and Leo knew it. He pointed to the top and began instructing me, "We can get you to the top, but after that you will need to go in alone. Shredder is expecting _you._ For this to work, you will have to look like you're alone." I nodded nervously, but tried pulling myself together knowing that even though Shredder was in there, my family was also in there. As if sensing my nervousness, Leo said, "We will be right outside."

Donnie spoke up just then. "We can use these to get to the top." He reached into his bag pulling out the sets of tegaki, including the set he made for me. After putting them on, we started climbing. It took some time, but we finally made it to the top. I caught sight of the broken window.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to force down the lump that was forming in my throat. Then out of the blue, Mikey hugged me and was looking at me intently. His eyes were so innocent that it was hard to believe that he does this kind of thing on a normal basis. "See you on the flip side," he said, smiling. I couldn't resist a smile. He was just too cute.

It was then that Leo put his hand on my shoulder and gave me a look signaling that I needed to get going. "It's now or never," I said again. Leo nodded. With that, I crawled through the broken window.

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

**This one took a little while to finish. It's Spring Break this week, but that doesn't mean that I get a break. Anyway, to anyone following my story I thank you. Please review and let me know what you think.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine: The Stuff of Nightmares**

I carefully crawled through the broken window to avoid catching the broken glass. I ducked my head as I maneuvered my hands and shoulders around the sharp edges. My torso went through with relative ease. However, when I began to move my legs through I scraped my shin against a particularly jagged edge. I hissed in pain as the glass pierced my skin, ripping my pant leg, and traced a long line down my leg.

Looking down at my leg, I noticed the blood was already oozing out. _Great,_ I thought. _Two seconds in and I've already injured myself. Nice going, Lauradane. _Still, I needed to stop the bleeding somehow or else this was going to get ugly. I thought quickly and decided to start with my already torn pant leg. I ripped it more and kept ripping it around on my leg until one edge finally met the other and a large portion came off in my hands. Remembering the tegaki I had used to climb up the building (It was easier than trying to use my sword right now), I grabbed one and used one of its sharp spikes to slice down the length of the piece of my pant leg creating two long strips. It wasn't much, but one piece could serve as a temporary tourniquet.

I looked over my leg to try and determine where I had been cut deepest. That's where I would need to apply my "tourniquet" to stop or, at the very least, slow the flow of blood. I decided on an area just below my shin that seemed to be the bloodiest. Taking one of the strips in my hands, I positioned it right behind my leg. Then, wrapping it around my leg, I tied it as tightly as I could. Then, I wrapped it and tied it until I was satisfied that it was tight enough, wincing each time I tied it. _This has to be done, _I kept telling myself. After I had finished with my tourniquet, I grabbed the other piece of pant leg and did my best to wipe the blood off the rest of my leg. I felt confident that I had succeeded in stopping the blood flow. Just in case though, I tore a section off my other pant leg and stuffed it in my pocket. Then, I grabbed the tegaki and stood up. I felt a little dizzy, but I shook my head in an attempt to make the feeling go away. Then, piercing a section of the wall closest to me, I climbed down into the room.

When I reached the bottom, I turned to face the room. My eyes widened in alarm as I took in the sight. The walls were adorned on all sides with the symbol of the Foot. I looked down at the floor and noticed that I was standing on an aisle that extended all the way to the front of this massive room. Looking up, I noted how high the ceilings were. A cold shiver ran down my spine as the realization struck me that this room looked just like the one in...

"My nightmare," I whispered in shock. As I walked, my legs suddenly felt like lead. Each step was heavier than the last. I finally stopped moving, exhausted from the effort. In between breaths, I said to myself, "Pull it together. This is no time to panic. Your family needs you." I attempted to move, but no such luck. I sank to my knees and did the only thing I could think of to do. I prayed.

* * *

"Um, what's up with that?" Mikey asked in a hushed voice.

"I don't like this," Leo stated worriedly.

"Let's bust in there and get her out," Raph said, ready to pounce. Leo stopped him, saying, "If we go in there right now, it will jeopardize the whole mission."

"Leo, are you KIDDING ME?!" Raph asked incredulously. "What if she's hurt?"

Donnie piped up, "Guys, I think she is panicking. After she had looked around the room, she just froze. Then, she-"

"Guys, look!" Leo suddenly said, interrupting Donnie. Raph, Mikey, and Donnie looked over to see me standing up.

* * *

I stood up slowly after I had prayed. I took a deep breath and started walking again. The steps were easier now and I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of me. I reached the end of the aisle and saw some movement. I strained my eyes to see and then felt a strange wave of emotion wash over me. It was a mixture of relief, happiness, and fear. I saw them, my family! They were all there at the end of the aisle. They were restrained, but seemed to be unharmed. I began to run to them, saying, "Hold on! I'll have you free in a moment."

I started to draw my sword, but was suddenly knocked back. I looked up to see none other than Shredder! I gasped at the mere sight of him. He was much larger in person than I had ever imagined. Now, here he was, standing between my family and me.

Sensing my fear, he just laughed. Then, staring at me with eyes as dark as night, he began to speak. "I knew you'd come, Lauradane." The way he said my name caused me to shudder. He continued, "So predictable. Threaten someone you hold dear, and you come running. It's like leading sheep to the slaughter." He smiled evilly.

I looked over at my family just then. They all looked so scared. Following my gaze, he noticed what I was looking at. Then, he made his next move. He grabbed my younger son and then turned back to me. He laughed cruelly and then gave me a cold stare, saying, "You have fallen for my trap by your weakness, the love of family." He chuckled, then continued, "You have something I want. I know that you know about the Turtles and Splinter. You know where they are. Tell me!"

I didn't answer him. My gaze never left my son. I could only stare as he tightened his grip on my son causing him to cry out. The sound of my son's cry pierced through my heart.

"NOOOOOOOO!" I cried out. "Please, he's just a boy! Don't hurt him!"

"Tell me where they are!" Shredder roared and raised one of his sharp claws, preparing to strike my son.

* * *

From outside, the Turtles watched as the scene unfolded before them. They were able to see and hear everything. Raph was getting angrier by the second, muttering, "He's just a little kid! RAHHH! Now can we bust in there and get them out?" He was wound as tightly as a coiled snake ready to strike. Leo was wound just as tight as Raph. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Now we bust in there."

_To Be Continued..._

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**Thanks for reading. Please review. :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten: The Battle for Family**

It is often said that when we are under extreme duress, we subconsciously respond one of two ways. We will either run away from a situation to ensure survival or we will fight our way through it, also in an effort to survive. It is also said that one should never come between a mother bear and her cubs...

I watched as Shredder raised his claw. It was as if this scene was happening in slow motion. I saw the arc of his arm. I saw the blades shimmer as the light hit it just right. Then, I shifted my gaze to my son. His face was contorted in pain. His eyes were fearful. I looked over, further still, at the rest of my family. They were awestruck and their eyes were also filled with fear.

Looking back at Shredder, he seemed to be enjoying himself. His eyes were dancing with joy - joy in the suffering of others. He was relishing the torment he was causing. Physical pain didn't hold a candle to mental anguish.

Switching from Shredder to my family and then back again, a strange sensation came over me. I felt hot. My pulse quickened. My heart raced and I could hear my blood pounding in my ears. (The sound was so loud that I didn't hear the Turtles come crashing through the windows.) I began breathing heavy, panting with each breath. I gritted my teeth as I stared at Shredder. Then, something snapped inside of me. I quickly unsheathed my sword and charged at Shredder. Without thinking, I leapt high into the air with my sword held high over my head.

* * *

Upon reaching the ground, Leo, Donnie, Raph, and Mikey looked over in my direction taking in the scene.

"What is she doing?" Donnie asked.

"Something's wrong," Leo replied, noticing my heaving shoulders. Then, he saw me leap into the air with my sword drawn. Shocked, Leo cried out, "Lauradane! Don't!"

* * *

_Leo? _I thought suddenly. _Why did he sound so far away? _I finally realized what I was doing. I panicked, but only a little. _You had better do something, Lauradane,_ I thought as I reached the peak of my jump. I firmly gripped my sword with both hands and as I descended I swung as hard as I could...

"Argh," I heard as I landed. Looking back at Shredder, I saw that I had landed a hit on his shoulder. He had released my son and was holding his shoulder with his other hand. I had earned a small victory.

The victory, however, was short-lived. Shredder whirled to face me, his focus completely on me, my family forgotten. His eyes burned with rage as he said maliciously, "Meddlesome girl! Now you will know the meaning of pain!"

Then, quicker than lightning, he grabbed a hold of me. Being much stronger than his Foot ninja, there was no way for me to escape his grip. I struggled with all my might, but it was no use. He was just too strong! All I could do was dangle helplessly.

* * *

"We've got to help her!" Mikey exclaimed.

"I hope you're happy, Leo," Raph growled, glaring at his brother. "We should've never let her go in here alone."

Leo glared back at Raph, but instead commanded, "C'mon!" Then they all stormed towards where Shredder and I were.

"SHREDDER!" Leo shouted, his eyes narrowing. "Let her go!"

"Ah, the Turtles," Shredder cooed wickedly. "How nice of you to join us."

Unflinching, Shredder glared at Leo, Raph, Donnie, and Mikey. A cruel smile spread across his lips as he declared in a loud, booming voice, "Tell me where Splinter is and you can watch your...friend die quickly. Otherwise, I will prolong her agony." He tightened his grip on me causing me to yelp.

"We'll never tell you anything, Shredder!" Donnie spat back at him.

"Very well, then," Shredder replied, raising his sharp claw once again.

As quick as a flash, Leo drew his swords and leapt in front of Shredder just as Shredder brought his claw down. The sound of clashing metal echoed through the room. Angrily, Shredder pushed Leo off of him. Then, he threw me across the room. I hit the wall hard and fell to the floor with a thud. Turning back to Leo, Shredder slashed at him. He batted away Leo's swords and left a jagged gash on Leo's left shoulder and arm causing Leo to cry out in pain.

Within an instant, Raph was charging at Shredder. Donnie and Mikey were quickly on his heels. Raph hated whenever anyone tried to hurt his family or anyone else he cared about. No one, especially Shredder, was going to hurt his loved ones and get away with it. Thus began their battle. Leo attempted to continue the battle, but because of his injured shoulder he was having a hard time of it.

I cried out, but my voice was hoarse, "Leo!"

Nonetheless, Leo heard me and began to make his way over to me. When he reached me, I began to speak.

"I'm sorry, Leo," I said. He was clearly confused. My vision was beginning to blur, but I continued, "I'm sorry that I got all of you involved in this."

Leo quickly replied, "Please don't...You had no idea what you were up against."

Fighting the darkness that was trying to consume me, I pleaded with Leo. "All I wanted was my family back. Please save them."

Leo nodded, saying, "I promise." With that, I watched as he rejoined his brothers in the battle. I could hear the sounds of clashing weapons as I succumbed to the darkness. Then, there was nothing.

_To Be Continued..._


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven: So Close Yet So Far**

"Mommy, I love you," my young son said, wrapping his arms around me in a tight hug that only a child can give.

"I love you, too, Mommy," my older son added, hugging me from the other side.

"My sons, I love you very much," I replied, feeling warm inside and returning their hugs. I looked up to see my husband crossing the room to join us. "And I love you, too," he said, kissing me softly on the lips. His touch was electric as it pulsed through me. Right here in this moment, there was nowhere else I wanted to be.

Suddenly, there was a flash of white light and then it went dark. I found myself alone in an empty house with only a symbol on a swatch of fabric to keep me company. The sound of chilling laughter filled the air. Light flashed again and I saw only one thing, a raised claw with sharp metal spikes at the end. I tried to scream, but I couldn't...

* * *

Donnie was carefully observing the two sets of vitals on the monitor in his lab. He looked down at his notes and added a few more. He quickly looked up when the beeping started.

"Huh?" he gasped. With furrowed eye ridge, he noticed that one set was stable. He breathed a sigh of relief. However, he noticed that the other set showed an elevated heart rate. "That's not right," he said to himself. He turned to face the rest of the room and saw that I was visibly shaking and covered in a cold sweat. "Maybe she is having another nightmare?" Donnie wondered, knowing that there was nothing he could do for an elevated heart rate and that he'd have to wait for my heart rate to return to normal. Watching the rapid rise and fall of my chest in between breaths, he decided that that coupled with the cold sweat meant that I was under some kind of stress. "We have all been through a lot," Donnie mused. "Still, I should try to make her more comfortable." With that, Donnie exited his lab in search of a washcloth and a bowl of cool water.

* * *

My heart rate slowly returned to normal and I began to stir. I cracked my eyes open only to shut them again. _Ugh, it's so bright in here,_ I thought to myself. _C'mon, it's just like waking up from a dream. Try again._ I attempted to open my eyes again, but this time I let them flutter open. "Where am I?" I wondered as I gazed upon my surroundings. There were monitors and a computer set up on a desk. Tubes and wires were everywhere. I noticed a lot of them were in me. I tried to move, but a sharp pain in my ribs seared through me. "What happened to me?" I grimaced. "I remember a window...the Shredder...and charging at the Shredder...but not much else."

I suddenly got the sense that I wasn't alone. I looked around the room again. "Hmm, monitors...computer...tubes...wires...Leo...Leo?!" I gasped. "What happened to him?"

Looking at Leo, I was heartbroken. He looked so fragile, so helpless. He lay very still. His breathing was normal from what I could tell, but he was a mess. His left shoulder and arm were wrapped in a bandage. I remembered that Shredder had slashed him when Leo was trying to save me. He also had bandages wrapped around his plastron. I had no idea why those were there. He had a split lip and the side of his face was swollen to twice its normal size. Sadness washed over me. This was all my fault. I had practically begged the Turtles for their help. If I hadn't gotten them involved, then Leo wouldn't be hurt right now.

It was at that moment that Donnie returned. In one hand, he held a bowl and in the other he held a washcloth. I felt relief at the sight of Donnie. At least I knew now where I was and that I was safe. Also, I knew that Leo was safe, too.

"Oh, good. You're awake," Donnie said with relief in his voice. Then he added, "I thought I'd try to make you a little more comfortable." He crossed the room and set the bowl on a table near my bed. He dipped the washcloth in the bowl, wrung it out, and proceeded to dab lightly at my forehead. He repeated this several times. The cool washcloth felt good against my skin.

"Donnie...this is nice, but I'm fine...really," I began. Donnie gave me a knowing look, the kind of look one gets when being cared for by a parent. It's the I-know-you're-going-to-be-fine,-but-I'm-going-to-do-this-anyway-for-your-own-good look. I continued, "But Leo, he's..." I was at a loss for words. "What happened to him?"

Donnie wore a sad expression as he looked at his fallen brother. Then, looking back at me he said, "We all took a beating in our fight against the Shredder, but Leo took it the worst..."

***Flashback***

(Author's note: Hopefully, I have made this clear enough. I've discovered that flashbacks are not easy to write. So here are some directions. The words in _italics_ are Donnie's as he tells what happened. The rest is the actual flashback. And now, as you were. Enjoy! Don't forget to review at the end, please. Thanks!)

"What is she doing?" Donnie asked.

"Something's wrong," Leo replied.

_We all saw that you took a leap at the Shredder..._

Shocked, Leo cried out, "Lauradane! Don't!"

_We were all a little excited after you had connected with Shredder and he let go of your little son; well, all of us except for Leo. He knew that something was up. He seems to have a sixth sense about these things. When Shredder grabbed you, Leo got really tense._

"We've got to help her!" Mikey exclaimed.

"I hope you're happy, Leo," Raph growled, glaring at his brother. "We should've never let her go in here alone."

_Leo was determined to make this right..._

"SHREDDER!" Leo shouted, his eyes narrowing. "Let her go!"

_Shredder demanded to know where Sensei was. You had refused to tell him, which I thank you for, but now Shredder threatened to kill you. We thought that maybe we could call his bluff..._

"We'll never tell you anything, Shredder!" Donnie spat back at him.

"Very well, then," Shredder replied, raising his sharp claw once again.

_Leo seemed to anticipate what was going to happen and jumped in the way of Shredder's claw with his own swords to take the hit in an effort to save you, as you already know. This only angered Shredder who shoved Leo hard to get Leo off of him._

_We all couldn't believe what Shredder did to you. However, this also distracted Leo and Shredder took this opportunity to attack Leo, slashing him in the shoulder and arm leaving a large jagged gash._

_Leo cried out in pain which spurred Raph to action. Then Mikey and I quickly joined in. Leo was having trouble fighting because of his shoulder. He heard you cry out and went to you. I thought that he had said, "I promise," at one point, but then before we knew it he was coming back to us. He had found his swords along the way and once he reached us we continued the fight._

_That's when everything went horribly wrong. Leo was determined to save your family after talking to you. However, he also knew that Shredder was a major obstacle so he decided to use a divide and conquer tactic. Leo ordered Raph, Mikey, and I to go and free your family. Leo said that he would handle Shredder. I had a bad feeling, but followed Leo's orders anyway. We headed off to rescue your family and left Leo to defend against Shredder._

_Leo and Shredder began to battle. Shredder had raised his claw and Leo had drawn one sword since his injured shoulder and arm prevented the use of his other sword. Leo and Shredder locked claw and sword. Leo pushed Shredder's claw off of him. They continued their battle through the clash of metal. However, since Leo only had use of one arm it didn't take long for Shredder to gain the upper hand as Leo quickly grew tired. Shredder knocked the sword from Leo's hand. Then he grabbed Leo by the arm and yanked him up causing Leo to yell from the pain. Leo tried to defend himself from the attacks, but Shredder was able to dodge a worn out Leo. Laughing, he kicked Leo so hard in his plastron that you could hear the ribs crack. Leo fell to his knees clutching the front of his plastron as blood dribbled from his mouth. Then to top it off, he kicked Leo in the face, knocking him out. Shredder was about to finish Leo off when Raph came running. Mikey and I quickly followed. Raph threw his sai at Shredder's claw, piercing the skin around it._

"We have to get out of here!" Donnie yelled. "Raph, grab Leo! I'll get Lauradane."

***End Flashback***

I was stunned. Never before had I known anyone so selfless as to risk their own life, to the point of near death, for me. _When he wakes up I'll have to let him know how grateful I am to him, _I thought. _He saved my life. _"Come on, Leo," I whispered. "Please wake up."

_To Be Continued..._


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve: Hope Springs**

Donnie looked at me with the saddest eyes I've ever seen, and then quickly turned away. He looked at me again, and again he turned away. He seemed to be struggling with something. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"What's wrong, Donnie?" I asked, confused by his behavior. "Is it Leo?"

Donnie shook his head no.

"Your brothers, then? Did something happen to Raph and Mikey?"

Again, the answer was him shaking his head.

"How about Master Splinter?"

Again, no.

"Well, what is it, then?" I questioned. I was really starting to worry. Donnie seemed hesitant to answer and simply shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He stared at the floor trying to avoid my gaze.

"Donnie, please?" I asked, more panic creeping into my voice than I wanted. Donnie looked up at me again at the sound of my voice. He sighed. Then, with his voice barely above a whisper, he blurted out, "We couldn't save them."

"What?" I asked. I wasn't sure that I heard him correctly.

"We couldn't save them," he repeated, a little louder this time.

"No! My poor family!" I cried, desperately trying to hold back the tears that were imminent. "They're still in the hands of that...that monster?! We've got to get them out of there!" I began to frantically pull at the wires that were connected to me. "Come on, stupid things!" I yelled.

"Lauradane, please!" Donnie cried, also near tears. He grabbed my hands, willing me to look at him. I stopped what I was doing. When I finally looked at him I saw all the pain and frustration I was feeling reflected back in his eyes.

"Lauradane," he began softly. "I'm so sorry. We were all set to rescue your family. Leo had given us the orders and we had started trekking towards them. We were about halfway there when we heard Leo cry out. We quickly whirled around and couldn't believe our eyes. Leo was on his knees, clutching his plastron, and he...he...was bleeding...from his...mouth." Donnie stopped, tears threatening to overflow. Shakily, he continued, "L-Leo is m-my b-big b-brother. It h-hurts m-more th-than anything to h-hear him c-cry out in p-pain like that." Donnie tightly squeezed his eyes shut as the tears ran down his cheeks.

Seeing him cry, I couldn't hold back any longer as I began to cry, too. I knew exactly what that felt like. Shredder had had a tight grip on my young son. He had made my son cry out in pain, too. There isn't a more horrifying sound than that. It pierces right through your heart. All I could do was hang my head and cry as Donnie continued.

"Then, when Shredder kicked Leo in the face, Leo had stopped moving. You weren't moving either. It was all so...horrible," he said, and added, "We knew then that we had to save you and Leo. If we didn't, then I don't think either of you would have survived."

I didn't know what to say. Here I was, angry that my family had been left behind only to find out why. It couldn't have been easy for them to make a decision like that. Donnie, Raph, and Mikey had made an executive decision to save Leo and me. I realized then that even though my family had been left behind, Leo and I hadn't been. We would heal. We would live to fight another day, and then we would rescue my family.

_To Be Continued..._

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**This was a bit of a filler chapter. Sorry it's so short. Anyway, thanks for reading and please review.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen: Bittersweet **

"Lauradane..." Donnie said. I must have been too absorbed in my thoughts because I didn't hear him. He tried again, somewhat louder, "Lauradane!" That did it. I jumped a little at the sound of his voice. I didn't know he could get so loud. Wasn't Donnie supposed to be the gentle one? I looked at him questioningly. "Sorry, what?" I inquired. Donnie was pointing at the bandage on my leg. I had just now noticed that he had replaced my makeshift bandage with an actual bandage and it had been properly cleaned.

"I need to check your wound and see if your bandage needs to be changed," he stated.

"Right now?" I whined, and then yawning added, "Can't it wait for a little while? I'm so tired."

"If I don't do it now it might get infected," Donnie replied, shaking his head.

"Oh, alright," I huffed even though I knew he was right.

Donnie grabbed his medical kit and went to work on my bandage. He carefully unwrapped it to avoid reopening my wound. Unfortunately, a piece of the bandage stuck to the wound and when Donnie tried to remove it, the scab that had formed came with it reopening the wound. This resulted in a yelp from me. Donnie turned to me saying, "Sorry, Lauradane."

"It's okay, Donnie," I grunted through clenched teeth as the pain subsided.

With the bandage removed, Donnie inspected my wound. Just then, Raph and Mikey burst through the door to the lab. "What happened?" Raph asked, trying to catch his breath.

"Are you okay?" Mikey asked, also trying to catch his breath.

"Everything's fine, guys," I replied before adding, "Donnie was unwrapping my bandage and it got snagged on my wound."

"Ouch," Raph and Mikey said at the same time, recoiling.

"So..." Raph began. "How'd ya get that, anyway?"

"Not being careful enough, I guess," I answered, frowning at the memory. "When we climbed to the top of Foot headquarters, I went through the broken window. Well, I did alright until I tried putting my legs through. The one leg caught against a particularly jagged piece of glass and cut down my leg."

"Oooh..." Raph said, wincing.

Donnie piped up just then having finished his inspection of my leg, "It looks good and is definitely not infected." He began to rewrap my leg with a fresh bandage. "All set," he said, smiling.

"Now can I rest for a bit?" I asked, yawning again.

"Sure," Donnie answered. Turning to a Raph and Mikey he said, "Let's leave Lauradane and Leo alone for a while so they can rest."

A hush fell over the room at the mention of Leo's name. He still had not woken up. He lay as lifeless as ever. The only sound coming from him was the sound of his breathing. Frankly, I thought it sounded pained. His bruises were in various stages of healing; some were yellowish green while others were still a reddish purple. His split lip had started to heal as well. I hoped that these were all good signs. Still, if he was healing, then why hadn't he woken up yet? I had woken up from my unconscious state. Why hadn't he? What is really wrong with him?

No one said a word. There was nothing to say. We all looked at each other and saw each other's pain at the mere thought of Leo. We quickly turned our gazes away, the pain being too much.

Hanging our heads, we all sat in silence. I silently sobbed for Leo who had risked his life for me and now lay battered and broken while on the edge of life and death.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally broke the silence. One thought consistently nagged at me. "Donnie?" I asked. Donnie's head snapped up at the sound of his name. "How long has it been since..." I trailed off, not wanting to finish.

Donnie looked like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. He knew what I had asked and that I didn't need to finish my sentence. With a heavy heart, he sighed. Blinking back tears he whispered, "Two weeks."

Taken aback, I repeated his words also whispering, "Two weeks." Had it really been that long? I had just woken up. Two weeks? Really? _There's no way, _I thought. There had to be some kind of mistake. Deep down, however, I knew that I was only fooling myself. For two weeks, Leo and I were unconscious. I had woken up, but he hadn't. It hardly seemed fair.

My self-induced pity party was interrupted by a series of loud beeping. Donnie rushed over to the monitor containing Leo's vitals. His eyes went wide as he scoured the screen.

"What's wrong, Donnie?" I asked nervously.

"Wrong? Nothing's wrong," he replied joyfully. "Leo...well, he's going to be okay."

"Of course he's going to be okay, Donnie," I said in confusion and then added, "We all think he's going to be okay."

* "I don't think. I know," he answered sternly. "Look."

Donnie showed us the screen. There were many sets of numbers, but I couldn't make sense of it. From the looks on Raph's and Mikey's faces, I knew they didn't understand it either.

Just then, I heard a low groan. Looking at Leo, I saw some movement. His hand twitched, clenching and unclenching as if reaching for something. Then, I heard the low groan again. Leo slowly opened his eyes. Amazed, all we could do was stare at Leo. His eyes searched the room and when they found and settled on his brothers Leo smiled weakly.

"Donnie...Raph...Mikey..." he said faintly. I smiled too as I looked at his eyes. They were the happiest I've seen them. Leo met my gaze and the joy disappeared from them. In its place was sadness and guilt. He glanced away as it became too much for him. I was confused. I was happy beyond words that he woke up, but why did he turn away? Why couldn't he look at me?

My thoughts were broken up by the reunion currently taking place. Donnie, Raph, and Mikey had surrounded their eldest brother and smothered Leo with hugs.

"Good to have you back, bro," Raph said, smiling at Leo.

"We thought we were going to lose you," Donnie said, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

"We missed you, Leo," Mikey added, hugging Leo with all of his might.

_No way am I breaking up this reunion_, I thought. Whatever has Leo so upset about me will have to wait. The Turtles' big brother had just woken up. Let them have this moment. They _need_ this moment. When everyone leaves us to rest, then we'll talk..._  
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_To Be Continued..._

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_*****_**This was from the first movie. I know it was Leo's line, but I couldn't resist. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. Please review. I'd like to know what you think. Thanks! :)**


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